Let's go back to 1992. How did it all start?

My husband created the company, PUK Portacables, in Spain and I was always by his side. It's like the saying: behind a great man there is always a strong woman. At the beginning I was "in the shadows" but I contributed with my ideas and we talked a lot about what to do in the company, how to run it and about the future.

What was it like to move to another country and start a business with a whole family?

First I stayed in Germany with the children, and when he told me it would be a long-term thing, we all decided to come here. When our children were older, I started working at PUK as well. I have been in the company for about 21 or 22 years working with him.

How has this professional and, at the same time, family project been forged over the years?

We were here from Monday to Sunday, because when you want something you have to work hard to get things right. It's something you can't explain, you have to live it. You live a 24/7 thing with your husband, first at work and then at home. We have created a path together, overcoming obstacles when things didn't work out and celebrating those that did.

It wasn't always easy...

When the 2008 crisis hit, we wondered whether we could continue with PUK. We had to work very hard to make the company work and not have to close, but we managed to get out of it. There is no formula for getting out of a crisis, but we did it together.

What does the future hold for PUK?

After my husband passed away, I wanted the company to continue, it was like his baby. And that's why we decided that Sandra and Daniel, our children, would take over the reins of the family business. I see that they are fully capable of running it. Now that I can retire, I'm comfortable knowing that it's in their hands. Still, I want to continue to be present and help them in any way I can.

Could you choose a specific moment in your career with the company?

It's very difficult to choose just one moment, PUK is the project of a lifetime. In the 30 years that the company has been operating, there have been moments of everything, good and bad. But if I look back, they have been 30 very positive years.